Torpedo protector for ships



April 16, 194

RQW. M CARTER TORPEDO PROTECTOR FOR SHIPS Filed July 16,-1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. E022 eri Wfl fc garter mm. Qm

April 16, 1946.

R. W. M CARTEB TORPEDO PROTECTOR FOR SHIP S Filed July 16, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIV'VE TORI [fob art aria? Patented Apr. 16, 1946 gfuNlTED ST TE TORPEDO teammates srin s Robert W. McCarter," Pittsburgh, Pa. Application July 16, 1942, Serial-No. 151,171 1 3 Claims. layman) My invention relates to ships, and has among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved torpedo protector.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a ship illustrating my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure '3 is a transverse sectional view; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a torpedo ex ploder.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make use of a track I8 attached to the rail structure l2 of the ship and extending completely thereabout. This track supports four torpedo exploding devices 14 projecting laterally from the vessel. Two of the devices are located forwardly of the beam line'of the ship and on opposite sides thereof, while the remaining two are located on opposite sides of the ship rearwardly of the beam line. Each of the devices located forwardly of the beam line is movable back and forth along the track from the beam line to a position substantially forwardly of the ship. The two stern devices are movable back and forth along the track from the beamline to positions substantially astern the ship. All the devices l4 are identical in construction and operation so that the description of one will apply to all.

In Figure 3 the track I8 is channel shaped in cross section and provided with flanges l6 for supporting flanged wheels I 8 mounted on a carriage 20. This carriage supports a motor 22 to which a spool 24 is operatively connected for raising and lowering a cable 26 to the lower end of which is connected a body 28 to be positioned in the path of the torpedo for exploding the same.

One end of the line 26 is connected with the spool 24 and passes around a grooved wheel 38 at the outer end of a boom 32 having its inner end attached to a shaft 34 rotatably supported in bearings 36 on the carriage 20. A gear 38 is attached to the shaft 34 and meshes with a worm 40 which may be rotated through the medium of a crank 42 for raising and lowering the boom,

Figure 4 illustrates the body 28 as comprising an outer chamber 44 having a convexed wall 46 to be engaged by the torpedo and filled with material such as sand, filings or the like. Chamber 44 is separated from a similar rear chamber 48 by a cushioning chamber 50 supplied with air under pressure. A bail 52 on the body 28 is connected with the'lower end of the line 26. The shell structure of the body 28 may comprise sheet metal.

' going description is for illustrative purposes only;

To each of the bodies 28 are fixedl secured two tubes 54 having rods 56 slidable therein and provided with wheels 58 rotatable about vertical axes and engaging the hull B8 of the ship. The rods 56 may be adjusted to diiferent positions and fixedly secured to the respective tubes by setscrews 62.

Each carriage 20 is attached to one endless cable 64 passing around two groove wheels 66 located within the channel-like contour of the track I0. An electric motor 68 is provided for each carriage 20, the motor being connected with one wheel 66 to drive the cable 64 connected with that carriage. All the motors 22 and 68 are of reversible type. Each motor 68 is provided with a control switch 10. Each motor 22 is also provided with a control switch 14. These switches may be grouped for ready accessibility by an operator located at an advantageous position on the ship. Each motor 20 is provided with two contacts 16 respectively slidably engaging contacts 18 mounted on the track to, there being two contacts 18. for each motor 20.

In operation, the booms 32 may be adjusted to various positions through manipulationof their respective cranks 42. For bomb guardingpurposes, it is preferred that the booms .32 project substantially horizontally from the ship. The bodies 28 are individually controllable through manipulation of the switches 14, These switches are electrically connected with the contacts 18 so that the motors 22 maybe controlled in the various positions of their respective carriages 20 along the track l0. Thus the bodies 28 may be raised and lowered to all necessary vertical positions and shifted longitudinally of the ship to bring the bodies into the path of approaching torpedoes for exploding the latter before con tacting the ship.

While I have illustrated the perfected form of m invention, it is to be understood that the foreand I do not desire to be limited by any of the details shown or described, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ship, the combination of a track extending horizontally along the sides of the hull of the ship, carriages 'movably guided on said track, torpedo contacting bodies, boom means on the carriages supporting said bodies outwardly from the hull of the ship, cables running over the booms and connected With the torpedo contacting bodies, reversible motors with spools carrying the cables for raising andlowering said running over the booms and connected with the torpedo contacting bodies, reversible motors with spools carrying the cables for raising and lowering said bodies, cables connected with thecarriages, reversible motors with pulleys over' which said latter cables operate to move 'saidlcarriage's to various positions about the hull of the ship,.

and control switches for all of said reversible motors.

3. In a ship, the combination of a track ex tending horizontally along the sides of the hull of the ship, carriages movably guided on said track, torpedo contacting bodies, adjustable rigid means for holding said bodies in spaced relation with the sides of the ship, boom means on the carriages supporting said bodies outwardly from the hull of. the ship, cables running .over the booms and' connected with the torpedo contacting bodies, reversible motors with spools carrying the cables for raising and lowering said bodies, cables connected with the carriages, reversible motors with pulleys over which said latter cables operate to move said carriages to various positions about the hull of the ship, and control switches for alllofsaid reversible motors.

ROBERT W. MCCARTER. 

